Patterned media with low switching filled and adjacent track encroachment (ATE) using ECC (exchange coupled composite) media

Abstract

A patterned disk for a hard disk drive. The patterned disk includes a hard magnetic layer over a substrate. The disk further includes an exchange control layer adjacent to the hard magnetic layer and a soft magnetic layer adjacent to the exchange control layer. The hard and soft magnetic layers are arranged into a plurality of dots that are separated by a non-magnetic material. The soft and hard magnetic layers combined with the exchange control layer creates an exchange coupled composite that has a relatively low switching field and favorable thermal stability. The low switching field improves reliability when the disk is used in perpendicular recording.

1 . A patterned magnetic disk for a hard disk drive, comprising:
 a substrate;   a hard magnetic layer over said substrate;   an exchange control layer adjacent to said hard magnetic layer;   a soft magnetic layer adjacent to said exchange control layer, said hard, exchange control and soft layers being arranged into a plurality of dots; and,   a non-magnetic material that separates said dots.   
     
     
         2 . The disk of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesion layer between said substrate and said hard magnetic layer. 
     
     
         3 . The disk of  claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer over said soft magnetic layer. 
     
     
         4 . A hard disk drive, comprising:
 a base plate;   a spindle motor coupled to said base plate;   a disk coupled to said spindle motor, said disk including;
 a substrate; 
 a hard magnetic layer over said substrate; 
 an exchange control layer adjacent to said hard magnetic layer; 
 a soft magnetic layer adjacent to said exchange control layer, said hard, exchange control and soft layers being arranged into a plurality of dots; 
 a non-magnetic material that separates said dots; 
   an actuator arm mounted to said base plate;   a voice coil motor coupled to said actuator arm; and,   a head coupled to said actuator arm and said disk.   
     
     
         5 . The disk drive of  claim 4 , further comprising an adhesion layer between said substrate and said hard magnetic layer. 
     
     
         6 . The disk drive of  claim 4 , further comprising a protective layer over said soft magnetic layer. 
     
     
         7 . The disk drive of  claim 4 , wherein said head is a perpendicular recording head. 
     
     
         8 . A method for fabricating a disk of a hard disk drive, comprising:
 forming a hard layer of magnetic material over a substrate;   forming a control exchange layer adjacent to the hard layer of magnetic material;   forming a soft layer of magnetic material adjacent to the control exchange layer, the hard, control exchange and soft layers being formed in a pattern that creates a plurality of dots; and,   applying a non-magnetic material that separates the dots.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising applying an adhesive layer between the substrate and the soft magnetic layer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising applying a protective layer over the soft magnetic layer.